Atlantic Beach city commissioners approved a resolution Monday urging Duval County Schools to keep Atlantic Beach Elementary School open. | News 4 Jax
Published on April 9, 2024 at 3:32 pm
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The Atlantic Beach City Commission has voted to support a measure asking the Duval County School Board not to close Atlantic Beach Elementary School.
The resolution follows consultants’ recommendation to close 37 schools across the county, including Atlantic Beach Elementary as well as Fort Caroline Elementary, Fishweir Elementary, West Riverside Elementary, San Mateo Elementary and Westside High School.
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Community members, city commissioners, other elected officials and former mayors spoke out during a City Commission meeting Monday against the possibility of closing the school.
Mayor Curtis Ford said he cannot imagine being in a position where he would have to tell a child their school is closing.
“I am very confident, as Mayor (Donna) Deegan said, that we will prevail on this. To do otherwise would be insanity. I don’t accept that, but we do need to be vigilant,” Ford said.
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The possible closures are part of the Duval County School District’s plan to have campuses with at least 85% capacity.
Interim Superintendent Dana Kriznar said last week that any decision on potentially closing any schools is far from final.
A workshop April 16 is the next opportunity for community members to discuss the school district’s consolidation plan. The meeting will start at 9 a.m. at the school district headquarters on Prudential Drive.
